If Indiana Governor Mike Braun thought calling a special session to redraw congressional maps would be a political slam dunk, he might want to check the scoreboard again. According to a new Bellwether Research poll, most Hoosiers aren’t just skeptical of midcycle redistricting — they think it’s a flat-out bad idea.
The survey of 800 registered voters found 51% oppose having the General Assembly redraw Indiana’s congressional districts this year, while only 39% support the idea. And when voters were asked about Braun’s decision to call a special session to make it happen, half disapproved, compared to just 30% who approved. Even among Republicans — the governor’s own base — barely a slim majority (53%) back the move.
Voters’ frustration isn’t limited to redistricting. Just 36% approve of Braun’s overall job performance as governor, while 50% disapprove — numbers that mirror his personal favorability. A full 51% of Hoosiers say the state is on the wrong track, compared to only 27% who think things are headed in the right direction.
Bellwether’s Christine Matthews summed it up bluntly: “Hoosiers are unhappy with the state’s direction and want leaders to focus on lowering costs and improving their lives, not on politically motivated redistricting.” That sentiment cuts across party lines.
Among Republicans who oppose the redistricting plan, many described it in scathing terms — “unfair,” “unnecessary,” and “a power grab.” One Trump-voting Republican from Noble County called it “disgusting given the current [mess] they’ve created.” Another from Wayne County said, “Voters should be making this choice, not politicians. It appears to be a way to circumvent democracy.”
The poll also found Hoosiers’ priorities lie elsewhere. Seventy-two percent said lawmakers should focus on “bringing down property taxes, reducing energy bills, and making communities safe” instead of redrawing maps. More than 60% agreed that “politicians should be accountable to the people, not the other way around.”
Even in Republican-leaning areas, opposition is sharp. In the northwest corner of the state — where redistricting would likely shake up the First Congressional District — voters are overwhelmingly against it. Lake County residents oppose new maps by a 59-32% margin, while Porter County voters are against it 52-24%. Nearly half said they would be less likely to vote for their legislator if they supported the move.
And if the governor’s team was hoping that framing the redistricting fight as loyalty to Donald Trump might rally the base, that didn’t quite land either. Among Republican voters, just 37% said opposing the maps would be “betraying President Trump,” while slightly more (38%) saw opposition as “standing up for fairness.”
In short, Hoosiers don’t appear eager to reopen the political map wars that were supposed to be settled after the 2020 Census. They see redistricting not as reform, but as political theater at a time when they’re more concerned about the cost of groceries, gas, and electricity.
As one Johnson County Republican — another Trump voter — put it: “We have so many other needs for this state and country. No dumb stuff that only pleases a few.”
That might not make for a great campaign slogan, but it’s a clear message from the voters: enough politics, more progress.
